Ivan, Paulette

DENNIS J. SMITH is Of Counsel to the firm. The major emphasis of his law practice involves representation of individuals and businesses in the fields of commercial law, general litigation, commercial leasing and related Landlord/Tenant law; real estate brokerage litigation; appeals, negligence law, commercial and residential real estate transactions; employment law; environmental law; and construction law; including construction claims.

Mr. Smith has been a member of the New Jersey Bar since 1968, entitling him to practice before all New Jersey State Courts and the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. In 1986, Mr. Smith was admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He has been admitted pro hac vice to practice in the Courts of other States and other Federal circuits. He has also had extensive experience in practicing before various State and Federal agencies, including the New Jersey Department of Labor; the Administrative Law Courts of the State of New Jersey, the United States Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, and the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights. Mr. Smith has had extensive experience in arbitration and mediation before various alternate dispute resolution forums, including the American Arbitration Association and private arbitration forums. He has been recognized as a "Super Lawyer" by New Jersey Magazine.

Mr. Smith is a member of the American Bar Association, the New Jersey Bar Association, the Essex County Bar Association and is an adjunct professor at the Fairleigh Dickinson University, teaching civil litigation at its Petrocelli College, Paralegal Studies Program. Mr. Smith has lectured on the area of Landlord/Tenant law as it relates to commercial tenancy disputes in the State of New Jersey.

Mr. Smith participated in the reported opinion in the matter of The Cadgene Family Partnership, 296 N.J. Super. 270 (App. Div. 1995), one of the few published cases in the State of New Jersey concerning the rescission by the State Department of Environmental Protection of its prior issuance of a letter of non-applicability and negative declaration. Prior to becoming Of Counsel to The Lum Firm, Mr. Smith practiced as a sole practitioner for 15 years and then as a Partner at Clancy, Callahan & Smith for 29 years.

Mr. Smith has participated in numerous civic activities, both within and outside of the legal profession. He was appointed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey to serve as a member of the District V-C Ethics Committee for a four-year term. He Chaired the General Practice Committee of the Essex County, New Jersey, Bar Association and participated as a member of the President's Council of the New Jersey State Bar Association. He served as a member of the Springfield, New Jersey Board of Adjustment and the United Way of West Essex and Hudson County (New Jersey) Task Force on certification standards. He has long been active in the mental health field as a volunteer, serving for 30 years as a member of the Board of Directors of the Mental Health Association of Essex County, Inc., as well as its pro bono counsel. He was President of the Association for two years and has since served as its Vice President. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Mental Health Association of New Jersey, and served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of Prospect House, a day-care program for the seriously and chronically mentally ill.